Latest controversy surrounding Sunil Gavaskar!

Sunil Gavaskar is known for his controversial remarks and he has opened up one yesterday about the timing of declaration of the Indian second innings in the third test against Pakistan. Gavaskar has reportedly written that Indian Captain delayed the declaration to enable Indian Wicket Keeper Dinesh Karthick to complete his half century and theeby booking his place to Australia. He says that India would have a got a better chance to win the test if they had few extra overs to bowl at Pakistan. Sportingo.com has published a nice article listing the controversies surrounding Sunil Gavaskar over the past several years.

I am not able to accept the fact that India had any chance of winning the Test till the time the Pakistan second innings really crumbled. The Pakistan batting debacle was really unexpected as they went about chasing the total of 374 rather than playing for a draw. If Kumble has made a sporting declaration also, there would be hue and cry about the need to take a risk. In my opinion, Kumble created an opening by getting 5 quick wickets and the Indian went all over to press home for a win. Unluckily light didnt help and the match ended in a draw.

Nobody really bothered about the timing of declaration except for Gavaskar. Why is Gavaskar really perturbed with Dinesh Karthick getting a half-century? He cant really point fingers against anybody in the team except for the poor soul Dinesh Karthick. Is it the first time some Indian batsman has played for his half-century? Number of players in the past and present Indian team has played for their personal scores than for the team's gain. Remember, the 36 not out by our own Sunil Gavaskar in the 1975 Prudential World Cup.

I look at Dinesh Karthick innings from a different perspective. If India had not played that extra overs in the morning, Pakistan would have got more overs to chase a lower score. With the kind of batting displayed by Pakistan in the second innings of going for a win, there is a higher probability that India would have lost. More so, Dinesh Karthick needs a longer tenure and he needs to be given that additional chance to come over his lean patch.